Power, Gender and Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform in India

Power, Gender and Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform in India

Author:Laura Merrill (2014)

Power and energy in India have both everything and nothing to do with women. Fossil-fuel subsidies might appear to have even less to do with women and gender relations. Yet their reform could have negative impacts, while at the same time representing an opportunity for women and Indians’ access to modern forms of energy. This report looks at the impacts of fossil-fuel subsidy reform on women, making four main observations: (1) fossil-fuel subsidies have historically provided little benefit for rural women, (2) fossil-fuel subsidy reform should aim to do no harm to women, (3) fossil-fuel subsidy reform will likely affect women in different ways than men, and (4) fossil-fuel subsidy reform should aim to improve the lives of women.